Pakistan: Debate rages after teachers pack arms

Lahore: It is 7:30 in the morning. All the school staff are present at the gates of Convent of Jesus and Mary to welcome the children after nearly of month of winter holidays, which was extended after the terrorist attack at Army Public School Peshawar due to fear of more such attacks on schools across Pakistan.

On both sides of the Durand Road school peons and armed guards stood to ensure no untoward incident will recur. Teaching staff and sisters who run the school were also present at gates to welcome the students. More than two weeks have passed but the practice and precautions adopted on the first day of the opening of school continue. Same is the case with all other schools.

After December 16, the lives of all parents, teachers and students changed as security has been beefed up, which entails stricter obedience to newly laid rules. The debate as to how the situation should be handled continues. On February 4 Interior Minister Ch Nisar warned the nation that more terrorist attacks may occur.

Most people think teachers should not be equipped with guns because it is the job of the state to protect them. The step taken in KPK to give gun training to teachers has faced much criticism and such trainings have been stopped for the time being. In Punjab, no physical training has been imparted to teachers. However, they have been briefed by police officials about how to handle and act in a terrorist activity.

Rana Liaquat, Additional General Secretary Punjab Teachers Union and teacher at Islamia High School said all the teachers were against the idea of carrying guns.

“Security is a full time assignment and one cannot become an expert at using guns in just training of few days. How can the teachers perform the duties of teaching and security simultaneously?

“Police are training school gatekeepers and guards, which I believe is a good step and should be an ongoing process,” Liaquat said.

For nine-year-old Mohammad Ali of class III in Lahore Grammar School, the extra holidays were fun, but deep down his heart he knew something was wrong. He along with other children of the house sing ‘Bara bana phirta hai bachoo say larta hai’ (He thinks himself strong but fights with children). This song was an instant hit when it was aired on TV channels. Sung by children it moved the hearts of all Pakistanis.

“There is a new emergency bell in our school. My teacher has instructed all the students that whenever we hear this bell we must all hide under the desks if we are in class and if in the washrooms to stay there. Our teacher has told us to be brave,” Ali said.

Housewife Ghazala Nawaz is angry at terrorists for changing her lifestyle. “After dropping my children to school I am unable to do domestic work with full attention. I keep worrying about my children and heave a sigh of relief when I take them back from school. Now parents are not allowed to go inside the school for security reasons. Earlier I used to go inside and sit on the benches with other mothers to wait for the school bell to ring,” Ghazala lamented.

Anika Gill teaches at Cathedral School. For her and other teachers it means additional duties. “The security arrangements are good. We have to be at the school early to receive students and then after school stay with them till all have left. This means extra hours of duty,” she said.

Things are back to normal, but the threat of terrorism still lurks and people are still afraid. However, the resolve shown by them is heartening.

— The writer is a senior journalist based in Lahore